Reviews

I need to thank whoever decided to make So Ji Sub into a Secret Agent-Babysitter which is pretty much the perfect man. That concept may sound crazy, but it actually works extremely well in this drama that is equal parts comedy and spy thriller. The comedy parts are really cute and genuinely made me laugh. The thriller parts weren't too heavy or dark but still managed to be surprisingly exciting complete with some cliffhanger episode endings. I admit that it was my love and complete bias for all things So Ji Sub that made me keep watching when the kids made me roll my eyes, and the lead actress made me frustrated often, but I quickly fell in love with this show and the entire cast.

Of course, I will start with So Ji Sub, who this role seems custom made for. I always admire his acting but to see his more comedic side, even as the serious-faced straight man, was really impressive. He definitely gets to show off his action skills too, and kick @ss in a way that made me swoon, but there are also so many funny scenes that made Kim Bon irresistibly charming. He was matched well with Jung In Sun as Go Ae Rin, who I think played her role well even if I was often annoyed by her character's actions. They may not have had a passionate chemistry, but I loved their innocently flirtatious and sweetly considerate moments together. Normally I would wish for more blatant romance, but considering their pasts in the story I think it was handled just right. However, I do kinda wish that I could see their story keep going beyond the last episode.

This is also the kind of drama where the supporting cast really shines, and I loved the entire cast. There's the KIS crew who turned nosey neighbor behavior into a true art form and had some of my favorite moments in the show. They are mostly there for comic relief, but I love how they were actually woven into the more dangerous and suspenseful parts of the story as well. Then there are the NIS agents, specifically Im Se Mi as Yoo Ji Yeon and Kim Sung Joo as Hacker-Bae Ra Do Woo, who had great chemistry of their own from the start. Joon-Joon were super cute, even though I initially wanted to put them on permanent time out. I guess they needed to do a good job of showing why Ae Rin was so desperate for a babysitter. Even Son Ho Jun grew on me in a way I didn't expect. Although some of the supporting characters and guest roles were cliché and over the top, it worked with the style of the story, which at times was campy, and I think the whole cast embraced that.

As for the writing, even though I was entertained the entire time, there were definitely some weak moments. What this drama does best is balance comedy and action, and both are done well without taking away from the other. You just have to embrace the totally unbelievable moments, but they did do a good job of not leaving many holes. The ending did feel a little abrupt and rushed, but they did a great job of ending the story without leaving any of the characters I grew so attached to ignored or forgotten.

Would I watch this again? Yes. This is a drama I wasn't ready to see end, so I can see myself rewatching more to enjoy the characters than for the plot. I would much rather see a sequel instead, which isn't likely, but the ending does open the door to a possible one which I would absolutely watch!

I don't really have any major complaints except for the obnoxious product placements. I think they made some of the moments extra cheesy on purpose, but especially in the last episodes. I couldn't believe how many commercials they squeezed into the story so blatantly (Did Quiznos really need to become part of the plot??!!! lol)

Overall I am glad this drama lived up to the excitement I had over first seeing the ads for it. If you're expecting a serious spy thriller or an epic romance, you are setting yourself up for a major disappointment, but I still think there's enough in this drama to keep a wide range of fans entertained. This is also an obvious must watch drama for any So Ji Sub fan. I wish he could give me "nose to nose" through the screen, but alas... I guess I have to settle for another drama to add to my favorites list.

Read More

Since this is a 9-minute per episode mini series, I went into this drama with pretty low expectations. I was trying to find something to pass the time with, so I tried one episode and instantly got hooked. The episodes flew by and before I knew it, I had binged half of the drama in a single sitting. It also became my all time favorite short web drama!

The story is about comic book characters becoming self-aware, so right off the bat it reminded me of Extraordinary You and W: Two Worlds, but it still manages to be original. This drama occasionally pokes fun at C-drama cliches and never takes itself too seriously. In fact, the drama is an altered adaptation (kind of like a parody) of a very corny romance novel that actually exists in real life.

Story follows our FL who is a self-aware comic book actress. She has a lot of experience playing the female antagonist in different comics, and since she retains the memories of each comic, her actual personality is cunning, smart and anti-heroish. (Seldom do we see smart female leads in these kinds of Asian dramas, so this point alone is enough for this drama to score high!) She is tasked to play an antagonist again in a new comic, but when she is thrown into that world, a system error occurs and she ends up become the female lead instead, all the while retaining her self-awareness and villainous personality. Due to the mishap, the male lead (I denote him as OG-ML) which she is supposed to romance with is temporarily incapacitated, and she crosses paths with the male antagonist (ML in this drama) instead. Since both FL and ML have villainous personalities, they start playing 4-dimensional chess with each other and always correctly guess each other's intentions. Not only do they have chemistry, they're pretty much the same kind of person, like a match made in heaven. I really enjoyed their interactions. Feelings of love happen early on but naturally, unlike many dramas with rushed and half-baked romance lines. They even came up with a good excuse to add kissing scenes that can be explained by the plot.

In the later half of the drama is where the suspense kicks in and it kept me at the edge of my seat after every episode. I really could not predict what would happen next with all the plot twists. The drama ticks all the right boxes. And even though it's short, it never felt rushed or shallow. It probably told a better story than a lot of full length dramas.

I recommend this drama to anyone who likes fantasy romance. There's literally no reason not to try this - it's short so even if you end up not enjoying it, it's not a huge waste of time.

Positives:
- We get to see romance between two villainous characters, which is very uncommon
- We have a smart and cunning FL who can defend herself
- Plot makes fun of drama cliches (even FL points out how cheesy some of the plot is)
- Unpredictable twists and turns, engaging from start to finish
- Liu Xie Ning's acting really stands out

Negatives:
- Why in the world is this drama so short, when some way shxxier dramas get 30+ episodes?
- Characters are paper-thin, they have no backstory except the several lines of description given to them by the comic
- Certain plot points make no sense at all, such as the knife stabbing scenes in the drama
- The logic of the comic world is unclear and inconsistent, causing problems to arise and get resolved out of the blue without a convincing explanation. This is one of those dramas that are not to be taken too seriously.

Read More

The listener and the speaker

Republican era, around 1930.
Rain is pouring down that fateful night in Jingcheng City. As we watch the good-natured Dr. Chen Yuzhi cycle his way home, seeking shelter under the eaves, we're diving headfirst into a plot full of viscious crimes and interhuman relations.
-It's the moment Chu Ran and Chen Yuzhi step into Jiang Yuelou's life and decide to stay, that we realize that Jiang Yuelou is the unspoken center of the story. -

It didn't take me long to light ten stars, as I got so attached that I might be devoting my first written preview to this drama.

Background music
One of the reasons to call this a classy drama is beautifully drawn tapestry of sound. The show decided upon subtle background music, the original soundtrack composed of very decent melodic ballads and only a couple instrumentals that are very well timed, accompanying sequences quietly, giving more importance to emotions and spoken dialogue. This gives it a pleasant, mature vibe.

Production
Omnium-gatherum summary of everything that caught my eye from episode one.
•Killer and Healer is free from overdrawn sequences and cheesy-slowmotions.
•The cinematography brings in gorgeous shots, developing into beautifully framed sequences here and there.
•As we're situated in the republican era, we get to see tailored suits and beautiful attire. Women are wearing gorgeous dresses and every single citizen that we see roaming the streets of Jingcheng has their own, beautiful outfit of the day. Even upon close proximity, the costumes look thoroughly authentic and high in quality.
•The drama leads us through a collection of sets that are very well thought through (however wow, it is cold!).

Plot & Characters
The plot itself is relatively solid. Various other points make up for the ones lost to a common storyline. The plot isn't particularly new, yet unravels a beautiful story of faith. It's told by steadfast characters, and also introduces a brave and clever female lead, Chu Ran, that wonderfully concludes the trio alongside Police-Chief Jiang Yuelou and Doctor Chen Yuzhi.
Every other character that gets introduced throughout the story isn't any less holistic and just as vital.
While the storyline itself contains alot of criminal action, it pays special attention to interhuman relations.
With a strong focus on the steadying relationship between Jiang Yuelou and Chen Yuzhi, it opens up on more then just bringing peace to Jingcheng City. We follow Jiang Yuelou, as he learns to regain his trust in the people around him and finds his safe-place within Chen Yuzhi, who meets him with unconditional faith. With every episode, the picture grows bigger, as we slowly get to know Jiang Yuelou and Chen Yuzhi as a person and start to sympathize with the characters introduced to us.

The ending: The ending comes around very unexpected. Yes, initially, it is bad and very tragic. This might be a spoiler. However, the ending lies in your power. For a happy ending, hop out from ep 37 at timestamp 29:15 and click here for a seperately uploaded end
https://youtu.be/FC696_RYeEw

Acting
Completing this with the strongest asset.
It's the actor itself that eventually shapes the character, forms it and introduces it to the audience. The characters I see are consistent and compelling, each drawn with their own unique features. The acting is impressive, the whole cast stunning. Every single actor within Killer&Healer convinces with performance. The chemistry between the leads grows extremely palpable as they enter each others lives and naturally learn to trust. Eventhough, due to censorship, scenes got shortened (not harming the plot), emotions are portrayed beautifully through micro-expression, faces full of emotions and long lasting glances. So much so that more isn't needed and it lies in the perception of the audience to view their relationship.

This drama is and was a very, very pleasant watch. I would rewatch it all over again. The biggest joy lies within the unfolding, unspoken emotions between the leads and the quirky supporting characters.

Read More

[CHECK THE SONGS LIST OF THIS DRAMA BELOW THIS REVIEW]

Finally something decent (even more) for our hungry brain after Crows Zero era.
HIGH & LOW: The STORY OF S.W.O.R.D is a comprehensive entertainment project by EXILE TRIBE that encompasses various forms of content media. Aside from the members of EXILE TRIBE, there are a lot of high quality cast for this drama, not only actor & actress but also other musician & models. So visually, you will be pampered with a lot of candy eyes with great acting too.
As written in the synopsis, it’s all about fighting between organization in a certain town. But the core story in this first season is about friendship and brotherhood, and more like a prologue to introduce each organization and the story base. Later, there will be HIGH&LOW Season 2 and HIGH&LOW The Movie. Let me summarize all the organization first:

=Organizations Before SWORD=
1) MUGEN
In this story, MUGEN was told start from the second generation, led by Kohaku. Other main members: Tsukumo, Cobra & Yamato. The strongest organization.

2) AMAMIYA BROTHERS
Only consist two members, Amamiya Masaki (Kyaaa Takahirooo! *oops please excuse my fangirling) & Amamiya Hiroto. They’re fighting against Mugen.

3) HYUGA GROUP
Hyuga Group is a part of GURYU GROUP (I think Guryu Group is kind of strong group but in outside of Mugen’s domain) & they’re not that popular. Hyuga Group fought against Mugen in order to make their names well known, but Hyuga Group lost and abandoned by Guryu Group.

=S.W.O.R.D=
1) SANOOH ASSOCIATION
Or Hoodlum Squad, led by Cobra (ex Mugen). Other members are Yamato (ex Mugen), Noboru, Dan, Tetsu and Chiharu. Cobra, Yamato & Noboru are childhood friends. Sanooh doesn’t have specialty or aiming any particular thing, the association just made naturally by the members who are good in fighting.

2) WHITE RASCAL
Their specialty is always white (as white as their name XD). Led by Rocky, his main subordinates are Golden Bomber* members (Bito, Aizawa, Shimura & Enari). Despite being famous with their madness, White Rascal also known for always protecting woman who have been hurt by men.
*) A visual kei rock band

3) OYA KOUKOU
School of Yankees!. The leader or they rather call it as Class Rep (lol) is Murayama Yoshiki. Just as other typical Yankee school, the one who rule the school is the strongest one. Murayama Yoshiki played by Yamada Yuki, he can pull his yankee expression but his height sometimes a little bit distracted me. He looks much shorter & smaller than his friends, in contrary he is the the strongest and unbeatable.

4) RUDE BOYS
They dominate and protect a Nameless Street, a town where people who abandoned by their parents lives, hidden and dirty. Led by Rocky played by Kubota Masataka (Kyaaa *oops once again please excuse my fangirling ;-). They declare themselves as a family who protect each other. Their specialty is parkour, this is that makes their fighting skill more artsy. This drama use a lot of camera angle, epic setting and a lot of ikemen with abs XD. Visually, I like this team, maybe because the members are actually athlete and model, whenever they walk together and make a way, it looks like they’re walking in runaway even with rag-like fashion that they wore, they can pull it off nicely. Kubota Masataka looks so charismatic with messy hair, too bad he has a weakness,what is that weakness? Well you better watch and check it by yourself :p.

5) DARUMA IKKA
Led by Hyuga Norihisa, forth son of Hyuga (played by Hayashi Kento). Alongside with Totetsu Brothers (Toutetsu Ukyo & Toutetsu Sakyo, both were kicked out from Mugen in the past) they formed Daruma Ikka to make a way for their revenge towards Guryu Group and the remaining Mugen member. I think this is the most unique organization. As their name, Daruma is their icon with blasting red color. Even when they fight, they’re using Daruma and drums as music accompaniment. Hayashi Kento looks deep but madly and vengeful here, for me it’s such a rare to see him in that kind of character, so it’s cool!.

=Organization Outside SWORD=
1) IEMURA GROUP
Iemura Group is one of the Guryu Group, the main leader is Iemura Tatsumi. With other 8 leads member, they’re called themselves as Nine Dragons. This organization is more like executive people who dominate a lot of field, including black market and greedy, so they own a lot of money. Basically they’re a bunch of rich uncles with suit and necktie.

2) MIGHTY WARRIORS
Led by Ice. This organization hasn’t been told a lot in this season, their main movement will be told in season 2 later. So, more Exile Tribe member are coming, yaaaay!.

2) STRAWBERRY MILK
The one and only girl gang. 4 members, Junko as the leader (she's so cute and funny), Asuko and Twin Towers (member of E-Girls). I love these girl, they're so funny!

There are so much red line right? All SWORD organization make their own world, never touch each other in order to keep peace in the town. The main story is started in Sanooh, Sanooh is the center of the whole story that connects all of the organization. The conflict appeared between childhood friends (Cobra, Yamato and Noburu). Noburu who just released from prison, but rather than go back to Sanooh he joined to Iemura Group. Feel betrayed, Yamato tried to persuaded Noboru to go back to Sanooh. Because he knows that Iemura Group is greedy and merciless. Noboru is trusted by Iemura to take over SWORD authority, but each SWORD organization refuse. This situation raised misunderstanding and betrayal between them. In other story, Chiharu (before he joined to Sanooh), who is actually a student in Oya Koukou, beaten up by his fellows but then he was accidentally helped by Yamato. Chiharu pled to join Sanooh, but this makes a conflict between Oya Koukou with Sanooh.
With 23 minutes average duration, you can enjoy fighting scene around 50% of its duration with great music accompaniment. HIGH&LOW also contains some sentimental, sad and funny part.

The editing, I’m so sensitive when it’s come to this point whenever I watch movie/drama. HIGH&LOW succeed this series with dramatic color correction, point of view and angle for each organization differently which is emphasize each organization’s character.

The fashion, since there are big companies who backing up the casts, they give all out in fashion too. Each organization has their own fashion style. No matter how you look at them, it does look pricey and detail from head to toe. They use a lot of expensive motorcycle and cars. One more thing, all the cast are looks neat and clean, this is one of the reason that I enjoy this drama. Or maybe they‘re just handsome and charismatic :D.

And now about the music. The music itself plays as the biggest part here, it makes this drama looks more appealing and nice. In fact, EXILE TRIBE’s album is also part of this HIGH&LOW project. There is not much I can review here because it so cool and perfectly matched with the drama. It’s EXILE TRIBE you know, what do you expect is what will you get. Each organization has their own special music background. The combination between music, fashion, editing, camera view and the cast themselves makes this drama looks like a MV. I love to re-watch this drama especially in some part like when a certain organization present themselves with powerful soundtrack, or just enjoying the each actors acting, their close up face, their cool movements even their poses. Sometimes I feel like are they doing photo shoot or what??. Seriously, their visual is on high quality level despite this is about delinquent story.

And here the list of the songs that included in this drama, it could be more than this but these are so far that I know:

J SOUL BROTHER - MUGEN ROAD
PKCZ feat EXILE SHOKICHI - WHITEOUT
GENERATIONS from EXILE TRIBE - RUN THIS TOWN
DJ DARUMA from PKCZ [VOICE OF RED feat.GS] - DARUMA FAMILY
THE SECOND from EXILE - ONE TIME ONE LIFE
DOBERMAN INFINITY - DO OR DIE
DOBERMAN INFINITY-JUMP AROUND 8
E-GIRLS - STRAWBERRY SADISTIC
ACE OF SPADES feat HIROOMI TOSAKA- SIN
Ryuji Imaichi - FOREVER YOUNG AT HEART

Read More

The plot has enormous potential, yet more bite and sting really wouldn't have hurt.

The share of Makjang in South Korea's series productions seems to decrease noticeably. After 3 seasons of "The Penthouse" in 2021, taking the evil within the "´War of Life´ to the extreme, it might have been somewhat exhausted? Thus, "Curtain Call" may be a noticeably 'softened' Makjang series (if at all). In this manner however, the KDrama represents a social zeitgeist that should not be underestimated: the desire for reconciliation. Reconciliation with the North. Reconciliation between generations, between the past and today. Reconciliation between duty and dream. The search, the longing, the need for South Korean society to balance itself on a new level - finding peace. To me, that's what "Curtain Call" stands for.

As so often, the focus is on the rich and beautiful. In this family clan, too, the third generation could disassemble itself in the fight for the golden spoon. But somehow things are a bit different here than otherwise in KDrama Orbit.
The head of the family is (quite progressively) a woman. Matriarchy instead of patriarchy, that makes a difference. While she probably represents business acumen and a strong leadership style, for all the respect she receives, she has NOT sacrificed her heart for her grandchildren and employees on the track. Also: For once, she (at least she) does NOT embody the incarnation of disparaging arrogance. She is NOT someone who mercilessly pursues her own interests without regard for human losses. In the contrary, there is a healthy dose of humility, because even in old age she is still close to the very simple roots of her origins. This is also because her homeland is in what is now North Korea. She remains aware of the painful separation throughout her successful life. No amount of money can turn back time or realign the political structures. Like that, she embodies a vicarious pain shared by many family histories across the country. And so an emotional bridge is practically built to the audience - ´halmoni´ gets some sympathy.

The plot has actually enormous potential: the grandson from North Korea, for whom the now old and terminally ill chair(wo)man longs in her last remaining weeks and months, was actually found. However, his personality seemingly doesn't lend itself to a peaceful happy ending - and so an actor who is versed in the North Korean dialect is introduced into the family as a fake grandson instead. He does his job so well that he ends up doubting his own identity...

"Curtain Call" manages to play out some of its punchlines in an emotional sensitive way. Nevertheless, the story remains more harmless than necessary and the potential isn´t realized. The KDrama doesn't take its chances, instead prefers to choose warm colors and soft images. All in all, "Curtain Call" might find its own pitch in the KDrama orbit, yet it keeps a low profile along the way and unfortunately does not take the next step. It rather remains kind-hearted and thus gambles away a dramaturgical chance. In my opinion, more STING really wouldn't have hurt. Too bad.

Nevertheless: "Curtain Call" is nice to watch. The cast is top notch. In places razor-sharp and at the same time pointedly funny, the KDrama also operates (especially against the background of the North-South dynamic) in a good mood with small socio-critical side swipes here, there and over there as well. The dialogues exploit this potential with relish. The bottom line is that "Curtain Call" is probably worth seeing if you DON´T feel like too much excitement, revenge, action, thriller, legal affairs or romance.

Read More

This movie was adorable. Both Nam and Shone seem like the kind of people you'd want as your best friends. I didn't want the story to end- I could have watched the characters sit and read the newspaper for 20 more minutes at that point.

That said, I couldn't give it this movie a 10 because there are some problematic ideas about beauty expressed, specifically about skin color. As I watch more Thai movies, I'm realizing the prejudice against darker skin is in fact very real and pressing in Thai culture. Although this isn't a focus of this movie, the idea that darker girls are ugly is clearly present (whether it's completely endorsed or not,.) That makes me concerned about younger girls of color seeing this film without discussing it first.

Read More

A Wonderfully Crafted Love Story

This is a wonderfully crafted love story that takes a unique spin on the time travel genre. I've seen many time travel dramas, but this one is undoubtedly the most intriguing. In this drama, the first time our male lead, Shen Bu Yan, travels back in time and meets our female lead, Lu Yuan, is actually the last time she sees him. He first meets the older Lu Yuan - and each time he time travels, he meets a younger Lu Yuan. So it's like a reverse timeline story which makes it even more depressing imo.

It is a low-budget drama, but I think they've used the budget very well. I can tell there's been a lot of care put into this. The cinematography actually looks really good and has some memorable shots.

I have to say, Zhang Ya Qin [Lu Yuan] carried this drama! She absolutely nailed the character. She perfectly showed the different personalities of each Lu Yuan, from a carefree Lu Yuan to an empress. She's also so beautiful I can't- On the other hand, Guo Jia Nan [Shen Bu Yan] honestly delivered a very mid performance imo... He was definitely outshined by Zhang Ya Qin.

Overall, I highly recommend this gem. It's a short one, so it should be very easy to get through. Plus, the story makes you wanna watch the next episode right away lol.

Read More

Well I'm just glad to be watching a show in which REDACTED doesn't die by the end!

I really loved watching this show. In fact, I couldn't stop watching it! It's possibly (probably) one of the best shows of the year. With a raw storyline, amazingly complex characters, and competent production, this show is a good option for a mature and gut-wrenching experience.
Throughout the watching experience of this show, I noticed a lot of viewers were upset by characters not being easily categorized as good or bad, or judging characters too harshly, or just being upset that the romances were not cute. So just upfront, let me tell you. This is not your next Love is Sweet or Begin Again, or even Go Ahead (though that show is pretty close, content-wise). This show is raw. It's like an open wound. It goes for realism and it exposes the characters' faults on purpose. Actions have consequences in this show and everyone is a bit more complicated than meets the eye. I could write pages on character studies alone but this is a show review, so I'll stop!

You should watch this show if you like:
1. Mature stories. No black and white morality to be found here or cutesy characters whose bad decisions only lead to quirky shenanigans. Nope. You make a bad mistake here, you go DOWN!
2. Good acting
3. Later 20th-century history
4. Family dramas
5. Generational stories

Summary: The show follows the Qiao children as they struggle to survive in their father's home after their mother dies in childbirth. Yi Cheng, the eldest, makes a silent vow to never lose his dignity no matter what he faces in life. He struggles to raise his neglected siblings, keep them fed and in school while also following his own ambitions of raising himself out of his bad situation through education, all while maintaining his pride. As the story progresses and their lives get complicated by mistakes and tragedies, the siblings stay close together like the threads of a knitted sweater!

Plot: The plot is simple. It's life. It starts in 1977 and ends in 2005 and the show is committed to historical accuracy but other than that it shows the characters, their love life, their triumphs and failures with little judgment. You will hate some decisions and you'll love others. It's chaotic and illogical, the way that real life is. In real life, sometimes people make bad decisions and they commit to them longer than it makes sense to do so. It's the same in this show. I personally found everything in the story tolerable and nothing made me so angry as to make me want to stop watching. Everything flowed naturally. Nothing was dragged out and nothing was wrapped too fast. The pace was great and it helped to keep the viewer interested. Each episode is packed with one event after another to the point that missing one episode might lead to missing entire arcs!

Acting: Perfect. All across the board, everyone was amazing. Special shout out to Liu Jun who played their father. His character was a jerk but he played him so well that I was just so impressed by this veteran actor. Also, the young actors playing the Qiao kids in their childhood, especially the young actor for YiCheng, were amazing. Guo Zi Ming made me tear up more than any other character in the show. Kudos!

Music: I actually loved the music for this show. Especially the song called Wild Bird which I have been listening to on repeat since I watched the first episode. I can sing along now!

Production: It was near perfect. Gorgeous cinematography, meticulous location setting, attention to details, historically accurate objects but also experiences, symbolic lighting (happy homes colored with warm colors and unhappy ones with cold ones), (almost) perfect continuity. Most importantly, I think the production wasn't as expensive as it seemed and that it was just very well-budgeted.

Rewatch: I wouldn't say no. It was a very endearing watch and I particularly enjoyed certain parts that I would love to watch again.

Negatives: Characters make bad decisions a lot but I thought they made sense in context. While bad decisions, they still made sense for the characters. It's a bit hard to keep track of the passage of time. It's probably easier for Chinese people to figure them out because the show touches on important historical events but even so, there were certain points where time moved in loops (as it so often does in cdramas!) and it was a bit confusing but it didn't harm the show. It was just surprising to learn how much time had passed, once we did get a date. Some scenes were censored and there is some propaganda in the show. The censored parts do not redact from the quality but they do raise questions of "what if"s. The propaganda is light and harmless for the most part. One or two subplots lead nowhere in particular but given how packed the show is, it's fine. Qiqi gets WAY less screen time than everyone else. Not sure if it was a good thing or not because what we got from him was so sad and upsetting that I wish we hadn't had that either!

Overall: Highly recommended. I don't usually enjoy modern cdramas. This show stands out with its near-perfect everything.

Read More

I am normally super harsh when it comes to drama's, especially those with a strong romantic center. Firstly there was a sense of realism to each character and their livelihood. Everyone was completely relatable. A lot of dramas, even some I like, don't really have a realistic story but this one was pure genius. I have never seen a drama that didn't have many slow moments. For me this only had one. The acting was superb, I'm not even ashamed to say that as a grown man I cried toward the end. It had a strong story line that even made me question decisions I thought I would have definite answers for if confronted. Great development of each character and acted superbly well. It pulled every heartstring I had, from joy, hopefulness, sadness, longing, disappointment. I mean,I just think it was great.

Read More

Story: This is a very basic and often-told story of a rich man falling for a poor woman. In this case, the poor woman is also a single mother with an adolescent son. And of course, this rich man comes with a rich woman who has secretly loved him since childhood but is 'evil' and a mother who thinks any woman not belonging to a wealthy family is out to get her son for his inheritance. There is nothing that stands out in the story line. It has all the expected twists and turns of a Chinese melodrama - family conflicts, angst, poverty, joblessness, love triangles, unexpected revelations re. family ties etc. It has the realistic feeling (from the common dressing of the female lead to the very logic decisions the characters make) of most Chinese family romance melodrama. What makes this drama a little different from the rest is how the heroine doesn't really fall for the hero until much much later (like the last 10 episodes later!). In fact, she was very adverse to the hero and being a practical person, turned the hero down many times. She even encouraged and helped her best friend to be with the hero. In other words, we get a very reluctant heroine and a hero who is relentless (and shameless to some point!) in his pursue. I personally am very traditional in this sense. I love it when men are very active, creative and persistent in pursuing the woman....of course, there's a fine line between romantic and criminal and the hero in this drama kinda hover in the middle of this line. Thank goodness he didn't quite cross over to criminal! But then again.....he did ruthlessly tricked our heroine into marrying him (and she wasn't in love with him then!).....you be the judge of whether it's ethical or love in this matter. I just love it when the man's crazy over the woman while the woman's lukewarm over him! In other words, I like it when the power of the relationship is in the woman's hand and not the man's. If you are like me in this sense, you'll love this drama. What I also really love is the very touching story between the heroine and her best friend. It brought tears to my eyes. There are also no draggy scenes with very minimal repetitive or recalls - which I think, is the strength of this drama. The story progression is good.

Acting/Cast: Acting is good enough, including the kid actor who acted as the teenage son. Park Hae Jin's acting is okay though I can tell he needs more experience working on his facial expressions while working with foreign actors & actresses...or it could be his portrayal of the hero who is 'numb' to feelings- a character who was hurt by love and views marriage as a practical arrangement for his career. He's also a brilliant businessman, often able to overcome whatever tricks his mother (the CEO) and her cohorts planned to keep him in line. In the end, the entire board was supporting him and his ideas, which made his mom admire his ingenuity but also frustrated that she could no longer control him. There are parts where you can see the glint of playfulness and genius behind the hero when he plotted to trick our heroine into accepting him. The heroine is well selected - she's cute (not beautiful per se) and has an air of 'common-ness' in her. She is assertive but kind and often would rather avoid conflict than to explain herself to others. To her, the hero is the biggest conflict she wanted to avoid as she knew he would complicate her simple life. Hence, she did all her best to avoid him - switching jobs and place of residence and even went into hiding!...but our hero's tenacity and persistence finally won him the woman! :)

Music: Nothing that stands out.

Rewatch value: Not too bad, considering there are some scenes I would like re-watch. Those are the ones where the hero pulls out every trick in his book to get the heroine. Pure fun.

Overall: To those of you who are used to the 'polished' look of Korean dramas and the brevity of Japanese dramas, you might find this drama (and any melo Chinese dramas) hard to swallow. The Chinese excel in making 'real' dramas, depicting as close to possible, the reality of life and relationships. There will be no fashion show, ridiculously good looking (and heavily make up) actors and actresses here. Even the so-called HD quality is no HD quality. Extremely 'rustic'. Equal weight is given to addressing family relationships and friendships and work life besides the romance story. For a Chinese melodrama, this is not a bad one to be watching. Overall rating: 7.5/10.

Read More

Moon River is not Boys Over Flowers but it sure is darn entertaining. The main lead, Ming Xao Xi is a martial artist who gets accepted to the prestigious college Gaung Yu University. There she encounters the cold but insanely popular and handsome Mu Liu Bing, Feng Che and Dong Hao Nan. Her existence shakes up the entire school and even the close friendships of the popular kids as she falls into a unique relationship with the leader of the trio. So while this plot sounds very similar to the Boys Over Flowers/Meteor Garden/Hana Yori Dango series, the show pulls in you and keeps you anticipating with laughs, cute romantic bits and the oh so bad drama-addict habit of clicking to the next episode right after finishing one. (You know that kind of habit...it's 1 O'clock in the morning; you've watched about 10 episodes in one setting; so you think to yourself just one more; and so you watch one more, but by the time you call it quits its sunrise?)

This drama has both its pro's and it's cons. The cons being the loops in the plot, the "unnecessary" drama and dare I say, the acting from the main leads who can sometimes come off as either annoying or "what is that face you're making!?" (Though I have to say I have to give Tseng Pets her cred for rocking that ugly bowlcut and old grandma getup/toe socks throughout the entire series while still acting out Xiao Xi in a way that was realistic and fun.)

The story starts off really well and builds nicely towards the romance. For all the romantic drama lovers, if you are like you me, (a crazy fool for cute romantic skinship and words) you will definitely enjoy the romance that takes off here. While the beginning and the romance makes for the beginnings of a good drama, the downfall comes near the end where you may or may not feel content with the ending.

While this drama doesn't exactly hit right out of the park, it is still a good watch and I'd recommend this show to anyone who is looking for something to watch. There is humor, romance and action all in one. This drama also shows the growth of Ming Xiao Xi as she tries to find her place in a new environment and adjust to the blissfulness and sourness of love. This isn't the type of drama you would take seriously, seeing as there are many similarities here with Boys Over Flowers, however what makes this series stands out is the main heroine Ming Xiao Xi and her great resilience to overcome different obstacles that occurs in her life and through her special relationship with the 3 princes of Gaung Yu.

Overall I give this drama an 8.0 for making me the crazy drama fangirl I am for skipping study sessions just to watch each episode as it was released. The music was excellent here (The Intro is hella addicting and the ending music is my most favorite song from this OST [Sung by Pets Tseng]]) and this is a drama I can say for certain you will want to re-watch.

Read More

I enjoyed it

I rate this show highly, not only because the acting is good. Mental health is a difficult area and a taboo subject. We all suffer from mental health issues to varying degrees and at different points in our lives. This show to me brings this issue out in the open and perhaps will enable some of us to appreciate the problem and develop some understanding. I feel that this is what has led to some negative reviews. It was very brave of the writers and producers to run with the story line.
Aside from this tricky issue, the show was fun, cute, well thought out and well performed. Admittedly there were a few times when it dragged a bit. I liked that there wasn’t the love triangle and the romance of each couple was heartwarming and at times the antics were hilarious. Of course you had the not so nice people and it was justifying to see good win over bad. Steadfast love and a willingness to stay together, cute scenes and many funny moments. I laughed and cried. To me it was a feel good love story, just what I want when I’m watching romance dramas.

Read More

Not a FLATLINE drama. GOOD JOB GMM

This review is a subjective opinion on what I liked and didn't like about this drama. It is in no way meant to sway anyone from watching it.

When most of the GMM series that have come out lately have FLATLINED, here comes 1000 Stars to BEAT life in GMM again.

I will admit that 2021 has had some major disappointments when it comes to BLs. Most notably, GMM has left a bad taste in my mouth as of late. However, this drama really proved that THEY DO KNOW how to tell a story without the gimmicks of their preivous projects. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I was worried at first about GMM taking on topics such as death and organ donation without bastardizing it. I was plesantly surprised that they did such a good job marrying the story with these topics. I was really scared that they would go on the "Tian only cares for Phu because of Tofurn" and this would have made it difficult for me as a viewer to feel for any of the characters. I was very very glad they made it clear that Tian's feelings are his and his alone and nothing to do with him getting Tofurn's heart.

This drama was about Tian finding his real self more than it was about him fulfilling Tofurn's dreams. He was a reckless, spoiled and often uncaring individual, who by "fate" or whatever you want to call it, ended up getting sick and needing a heart. As fate would have it, the heart he ends up getting is of Tofurn a young woman who is in love with Chief Phupha. And althoug romance is a part of this drama, it isn't as central to me as Tian's self-descovery of his worth and what he can do for others.

This was obvious is the various ways the director created a parallel flashback with the present. Tian finding joy in flying kites as opposed to him gambling, Tian wearing traditional clothes and the flashback of how he could easily get expinsive clothing but could just as easily get rid of it. The way Tian felt proud to wear that traditional shirt because he felt welcomed into the village.

Cinematography was amazing. Music lovely, and characters were all central and important to the story. From the smallest (villager) to Tian's parents, everyone's role was not wasted.

The only caveat for me is that Ep 8 and a bit of Ep 9 had some unnecessary plot points, but overall this is a must watch.

9.5/10 Excellent.

Read More

TBH, I have never thought in my life that a drama is very short, because I always like fast paced, short to the point dramas. But Ancient Detective is one of those dramas that hooked me from the start, and I sincerely wish there is a season 2 because I can’t get enough of the storyline. It was a lot better than I expected.Here are the reasons why;

1.Wuxia/ Mystery Storyline
As a big fan of Wuxia, I have watched all sorts of Wuxia dramas.But this kind of Wuxia/ Mystery dramas are very rare. The plot is not unpredictable but interestingly executed. It has its twists and turns and a certain amount of cliffhanger at every episode.

2. Superb Chemistry/Acting
I would say the actors are kinda new faces to me. I have never seen the male lead before.Though I have watched Female lead in Eternal love of Dream, her role is only a few episodes.
But both of their actings are top notch, their chemistry is on point. 2nd Male lead and other support’s actings are very impressive as well.

3.Impressive Cinematography
I don’t know it is whether a high budget drama or not but the fighting scenes are beautifully done. The cinematography can give a kind of Jianhu vibe.

4.Overall
Osts are quite well done too.Overall, it is not a perfect drama but I still like it. It is not time consuming and fast paced.
I would recommend it to all wuxia fans

Read More

A lot of words that start with the letter P, and perfect for me...

What do you get if you combine the best parts of Who are you, school 2015 with My Name and add some political fight the power stuff and make it in Thailand instead of South Korea?

Nothing perfect, but definitely something for me... This drama just ticked so many boxes with things I loved taking me on an exciting journey with a powerful political statement in-bedded in a nail-biting plot with just the perfect amount of bromance, romance, and everything in-between...

A drama where the plot is so good that all the "ohh they are so cute" just feel like an added bonus, do not get me wrong there is plenty of fan service such as oil wrestling, dimples and what not... but it does not take over and feels true to the plot. So to say that I loved this is an understatement...

The cinematography the directing, the styling, the writing everything was all well done, there is one point where the clothes more or less match the colors in the abandoned building. Fine there where where a few plot holes here and there, like running around and leaving fingers prints all over the place... and some plot twists were pretty predictable... but as a whole this was really high quality and highly entertaining at the same time (a more rare combination than one might think) . And what can I say even the PPL was noticeable but not over the top. And the so called sex-scenes where very tastefully made.

The relationships are for the most part pretty consensual, though they do seem to punch each other a lot, fight till the brink of death and may just have a Punch and make up kind of take to the classic kiss and make upp... but once you look past that most of the characters are actually rather nice , not so very toxic and definitely likeable.

There is some pretty powerful art and da3nce and the take on identical twins is very interesting.

To conclude definitely a good highly bingable drama for anyone one who enjoys a bit of fight the power, with a side of romance.

P.S After watching Theory of love I was already very impressed by Guns acting while not as impressed by Offs acting however this drama only strengthened my adoration for Gun and gave me a new found one for Off... Their chemistry is phenomenal so I am starting to get the whole OffGun Hype if there is one.

Also, this is one of those dramas where time flies, you start watching it and poof you are half way thru it without noticing the time...

Read More